City Folk are Decieving
by Jelly-Me
Summary: Kagome lives a life cooped up in a big city. It seems her mother doesn't care that her daughter lives her life away from the peacefulness of the country that she adores. Well, that's what Kagome thinks until her 15th birthday, when her mother lets her go there for the holidays as a birthday present. Is it as good as it seems? Lets just say, first impressions count. A lot.
1. The Joys of Birthdays

A raven haired youth scampered down Azure Street, on her way home from a long and treacherous day at school. As usual, her unfaithful friends had completely forgotten her birthday. They produced pathetic gifts just like last year. Yuka had given her a yellow headband that she had previously been wearing, Ayumi gave her a pale pink clip that she had clipped on her shirt just in case the matching ones in her hair fell out and Eri gave her some homework notes the youth had chosen not to copy as she had already finished that homework. It felt as if the teachers were being specifically mean to _her _too. On the plus side, her boyfriend had given her a cd and but had told her not to open it until the first week of the holidays were over. It was also the last day of school, so no one really paid any attention to her.

The fair haired female musings were cut short when she reached the entrance to her family apartment building. The lobby was dingy and grey, not the kind of place young high school girls should be living in. No, the building was more suited for old ladies that dreamt of having a lawn so they could yell 'Get off my lawn you rotten kids!' to stoned teenagers. Either way, she started climbing the mouldy stairs that led to apartment 8D, where she resided in. She would have taken the elevator but it was highly dangerous and not worth plunging 50 feet. The tanned hand of someone who used their hands roughly fumbled with her keys while she passed apartment 5D and by the time she had a proper hold of the slippery keys, she was in front of her apartment. As she opened the door, she noticed it was eerily quiet in the normally rambunctious apartment. Normally, the girls younger brother, Souta, would be in front of the T.V, playing video games and her mother would be merrily preparing some sort of afternoon snack, telling the boy to do his homework or to help her cook. Sometimes you would even see the girls grandfather reading the newspaper at the table, mumbling about how 'In his day, the children _volunteered_ to do chores' or something like that. But no one was there. Not even the family cat, Bouyo, came up to greet a frown, she walked up to the magnet covered fridge and grabbed a soda out of it. As she passed the counter to go to her room, she noticed a colourful, folded note tapped to a small tube of smarties on the polished surface. She put her soda down and opened the note. Inside was her mother's neat writing. It read:

_Dear K,_

_You are probably wondering why the house is so empty. Gramps, your brother, Bouyo and I are all going on a snowboarding trip for the holiday. We left as soon as your brother came home. Don't worry dear, we didn't forget your birthday. For your birthday this year we are allowing you to go to Inu-tachi Ranch for the holidays. I packed your bags for you and all the information you need is in the pamphlet taped to the fridge. Have fun and eat the smarties in replacement of a cake._

_Love, your family_

The raven haired youth, also known as Kagome Higurashi, is going to Inu-Tachi Ranch for the holidays, and she couldn't be any more ecstatic about it.

Kagome practically skipped to the fridge she was that happy. She didn't even know why she was that happy! Sure she was a little disappointed that she didn't even get a proper cake but _who friggen' cares!_ Kagome was going to the _country _for god damned sakes! Her version of absolute paradise! Ok, maybe she'd never even been there but still! Kagome plucked the pamphlet of the fridge and noticed a very, uh, _alarming_ notice that said 'To be honest, you probably weren't ready for this trip and you just got home from school, so you should know that the bus to Inu-Tachi Ranch leaves at 3:30pm. So don't forget to double check your mum didn't put nerd clothes in your bag! Ja'. Kagome looked at the now menacing looking clock hanging above the cupboard. Of course because the world despises her it read 3:15pm. It took ten minutes from the apartment building to the nearest bus top if you walk, maybe less if you run and don't look back. Kagome's mother absolutely _hate's _the country, so it's likely she actually _did_ pack nerdy clothes for her. Hell, Kagome's mother probably went out _specifically _to buy her idiotic clothes for this trip. The worst is Kagome hadn't even started to read all of the information about what smart things to bring! _Aw hell. Stuff the pamphlet! I'm going freestyle!_

With that thought, Kagome dashed to her room and jammed everything she deemed necessary in her suit case and back pack because, like she had predicted, her mother had packed the worst things for her. As she ran to the door, Kagome grabbed the smarties (very hard to do with a suit case, back pack and pamphlet in hand) and quickly checked the clock. It read 3:23. With a cry, Kagome nearly ran in to the door as she swept passed it. She jumped down the stair well and breathed out a quick goodbye to Walter, the building's Rottweiler guard dog.

Halfway to the bus stop, Kagome saw three great Danes start chasing after her. One of them had a green leash trailing behind it and it seemed that one was the biggest and most ferocious. The smallest had a blue collar and it looked like it was foaming at the mouth. The last one, although not the biggest, had the largest teeth and had an orange bandanna tied to its left paw. Luckily, they were slow and they had all tripped over some paint cans halfway through. "Why!? Why do I have the worst luck with dogs!? Why not that gay looking guy wearing a turtleneck over there!?" Kagome yelled out as she was chased by the dogs. Anyone could see that Kagome was barley even beating the dogs.

The dogs had been chasing her for over _5 blocks_ and they weren't showing any signs of giving up yet. In the distance, Kagome could see a bus pulling in and she yelled a sadistic wait as she jumped on the bus. "Drive man! Drive!" she commanded the bus driver. Kagome sat down on the seat closest to her and paid for a ticket while the bus was moving. Kagome sighed and thanked the heavens. She then opted to check the time on her Smiggle wrist watch. Kagome had made it in record time because it was 3:29pm. Kagome opened to the page that had said what time the bus arrived and read through it all. To take up the time Kagome decided to read the whole pamphlet, so she turned the next page….. It said 'HAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH AHAHAH etc. You probably just rushed all the way to the bus stop! Sucked in because the bus that leads you to your _true_ destination arrives at _5:00pm_. Not 3:30pm. _5:00pm._ Happy travelling minna!'. Kagome's thoughts you might ask?

_That sick bastard._

It turns out that the bus Kagome was on led her to the area all the rich fancy blokes lived in. It was full of white mansions with peculiar looking yard gnomes and perfectly trimmed lawns. You could smell the citrus trees that had never been picked. Kagome was dazzled by it all. Yet it didn't have that comfortable feeling like you get when you wore a pair of old cosy trainers. Kagome suddenly felt an incredible anger rush threw her as she saw Yuka, Ayumi and Eri through the windows of a practically large mansion that read on the mailbox 'Ire Residence'. That was Eri's last name. Kagome had never been to Eri's house before. Every year on special occasions Eri always gave the worst gifts. Her excuse was that her family was tight on money. Now Kagome wasn't mad because Eri could have given her good gifts, she was mad at her because she lied. Not only did Eri lie but so did Yuka and Ayumi. But somewhere in Kagome's heart she knew, that she would forgive them again. Just like all the other times situations like these happened. And that just made her all the more angry.

Unfortunately, no more buses arrived and Kagome got fed up. She had thirty minutes to walk all the way back to the previous bus stop. That's kind of hard to do when you don't even know where you are. Normally, Kagome would easily know where she is because Kagome knew the whole town like the back of her hand. Most of it anyway.

Snob Central, as Kagome liked to call it, was the only place she never stepped foot in. Turns out Kagome was smack dab centre in the only place she loathed. So like before, Kagome ran. She ran and ran and ran. To the middle of nowhere. So it seemed, until Kagome found a map in one of the delicate, fancy bins on the side walk. As Kagome looked around herself she found she was on Bubble Road. No kidding. It was actually called_ Bubble_ Road. Lucky for Kagome the map was of Snob Central. She looked up Bubble Road and found she'd ran closer to one of the other bus stops but not the right one.

Kagome, with her map sprawled out in front of her, began walking closer to her destination. But she had to go through the _flower_ area first. The flower area is the quickest way to reach the bus stop. If you're wondering what the flower area is then stop just stop. I'm going to tell you anyway so oh well. The flower area is hell on earth for all tomboys alive. The sale ladies give you makeup and _extremely_ slushie clothes. They make you wear them and tug and rip off your clothes and make your hair look like a beehive! They make you pay them for it too! If Kagome was still wearing her school uniform she might've gotton away with only makeup but unfortunately Kagome had changed in to a black wife beater, baggy grey pants, green sneakers and a braid for her hair. Her combo looked unusual once you added the tattered brown suitcase and hand me down yellow bag. She was walking in to a mine field and already she could feel penetrating stares through her back.

All was silent as everyone turned to stare. A lady in a miniscule magneta pencil skirt stepped out on to my path. I stopped walking and looked down on her. A tumbleweed swept past. But the chaos really began when someone in the distance screamed out. 'SHE'S MINE!". Kagome's luggage was abandoned as their owner was separated from them, the pamphlet resting on top.

The girl was prodded and poked, shoved and scratched, as the sale women fought over the damsel. Even though the sale women's target was the black haired beauty, they had ended up shoving Kagome out of the fray. The damage was already done and the victims clothes lay forgotten, somewhere in the dog pile of women. _Those were my favourite pair of shoes too!_ Kagome quietly slinked away until she got to her luggage. When she did she bolted like no tomorrow. Which is very hard to do in 6 inched heels.

Eventually, Kagome found a pristine white bench near the entrance of a park. She sighed, not even wanting to know what she looked like. Until three _very_ familiar girls walked past. Ayumi noticed me first and I prepared myself for even more utter embarrassment.

"Hey hon'! _Where _did you get those clothes? They are absolutely fab'!" smirked Ayumi.

"Uh," she paused, suddenly realising that the trio didn't recognize her, "Uh," she then said in a high pitch voice just in case they would realise who they were speaking to, "Um. From the, like, flower area." _Kami, I sound stupid._

"What's your name?" Eri asked.

"Um, Kag-" _No, don't say your real name!_ "Kagerella." _Few, nice save. But come on, Kagerella? I don't own any glass slippers!_

"Really? That's so cute! I'm Kaguya, that's Abi and that over there is Sara." said Ayumi, pointing to both Eri and Yuka in turn. _Those lying rat's! They are_ not_ Tsukiyomi-sama and Hoshiyomi-sama's children! They're not the mayors daughters'!_

"My, my. What a foreign name you have Sara. I've been told you know the exact reason of why your parents named you that. What is that reason?" Kagome, no, sorry, _Kagerella_ asked, a mischievous gleam in her eyes. You could see Ayumi sweating bullets. Eri's hair started frizzing up like it does whenever she's nervous. Yuka looked calm and collective but you could see the doubt in her eyes. They had underestimated the girl and hadn't expected her to question, although not out loud, whether they weren't really who they claimed themselves.

"Um, excuse us but we must get going. We have a celebration party to attend." Answered Yuka.

"Really? What's the occasion? I do believe Kaguya over there isn't graduating until next year. Wouldn't it have said in the news if you were having a party? And I do think it is quite rude of you to try excuse yourself so quickly. Oh, and since when did you children like dressing in public school uniforms?" Gone was the high pitch girly voice, suddenly replaced with a steady, wise tone. The girls had never felt so intimidated by what looked like a prostitute.

"Hey bitch!" Eri suddenly said, "Who're you to suddenly question our authority?! You're the same age as us too!" Kagome stood and stared down at the girl.

"I never! I'm thirty years old! Respect your seniors!" On the inside, Kagome was laughing up a storm.

Ayumi gripped Eri's hand. "C'mon! Let's leave before we get in trouble!" she whispered to Eri.

So, they all turned and ran in the direction I had come from. I sighed in relief, glad I wouldn't have to talk to them until I came back from the ranch…Dammit! I looked at my slap on watch quickly. It was 4:46. It took 10 minutes to get to Snob Central on the bus and over an hour to get where I am now… Suddenly a truck that was covering a shop pulled out of its spot…and provided me a mirror.

I was wearing a bright pink halter top that ended at the start of my ribs and could've been a bra. My abs were on full show and the white shorts may as well have been a belt. My stilettos were silver and 6 inches (like I mentioned before) and my hair was teased Texas style. In conclusion, I looked like a different me. And that was just the clothes. Lipstick as red as a ruby was coated on my lips, there was blue eye shadow that went up to my eye brows and twin startling pink blush rested like giant circles on my cheeks.

I felt like crying. No way was I going to make it to the bus stop in time. I stood up and went in the opposite direction I came from, head bowed. I turned random corners and twists, just wanting to get home before it got dark. All my earlier hopes vanishing. What am I going to do? I don't have enough money to buy food sufficient enough for more than two weeks…

I'd given up but at least I'd owned the girls. Looks like Onigumo owes me ten bucks. That idiot thought he could own me at owning the others without them knowing it's me. I texted him quickly explaining what I did and taking a photo of my face.

Deciding that I didn't want to walk around town in the dark, I looked up…..and beamed with joy as I noticed I was back at the bus stop. Then I smiled sadly, suddenly realising I would've already missed the bus. But I stopped thinking that as soon as I saw a bus pulling up.

I eagerly climbed the short stairs to the bus driver, a different guy then before. "Does this bus go to Inu-Tachi Ranch?" I asked the bus driver attentively. "Sure does. Show me the ticket inside the pamphlet and you can come right aboard." I showed my ticket. I swear I heard that guy call me a prissy or something… What does that even mean?

I walked slowly down the middle isle and when I heard the bus door shush close, I sat down on the brown seat to my right. I was the only person here beside some guy playing his Dsi near the back.

I look out towards the window and can see a light drizzle going on. Before I know it, the day's events catch up on me and I succumb to sleep.

I wake with a start. I could feel penetrating stares and a soundless laughter in the atmosphere. The bus is filled with people of all sorts. Wolf demons, humans, wind sorceresses, spirits and even a centipede demon! Practically all the people staring at me had smirks on their faces and a one of the girls had to cover her mouth from outright laughing. Instead, she chose to whisper to the person sitting behind her, "She won't last long". I glared at her realising, she meant my attire. Knowing glaring wouldn't let me have a better first impression, I turned to the window. Instead of the light drizzle it had been when I fell asleep it was pouring. My stomach grumbled and I sighed hungrily.

I remembered my tube of smarties and reached over to my giant yellow bag. Luckily, I was smart enough to put my bag next to me so no one would sit there.

I hear a colourful swear from the front of the room and groaned, prepared for a pot-bellied driver stopped the bus and got up from his seat to stare down at us.

"Looks like a tires blown. Anyone volunteer to fix it? Out in that downpour where you can squelch around in mud like a pig?" A pig demon snorted next to him and the driver stared at him sheepishly with a shrug and he winced as apologized to the demon.

_Now_, I'm annoyed. First I nearly miss the bus and now this?"Why don't you do it yourself? We're not you're slaves." I spat.

He smirked. "Looks like we got ourselves a volunteer. Come on Girl, we ain't got all day."

I stared at him open mouthed until the centipede demon siting in front of me roughly jerked me towards the driver.

He grabbed me by the wrist and, to shocked to stop I let him drag me to the entrance. I stumbled down the steps and he said "You must know how to change a tire princess."

And then I was out in the rain, my shoes left on the bus. I heard the bus driver announce that he was sorry that they might be a day's late due to a major setback.

Why, I never.


	2. Red

I'm only doing this once. Disclaimer:I don't own Inuyasha and co. Rumiko Takahashi does.

I stand up. _That'll show 'em_ I smirk, brushing my hands off. I scowl going up to the bus door, my feet ankle deep in mud.

"Oi!" I yell, taping on the door. I can see a cat demon looking down at me in surprise before turning to a grey blur, whatever species the girls seatmate was, pointing at me while talking rapidly.

The bus driver turned back from his crowd, wearing an expression similar to mine. "What? You need to go to the little girl's room or some'ing?" he says, opening the door slightly.

"No, you piece of meat. I changed the tyre like you asked." _More like forced._

His face was that of pure shock and disbelief. He opened the door enough for me to get in and walked over to his seat, while I walked to mine. He then started the engine… And they sped off without a problem.

I look around, smirking, once I got to my seat.

The centipede demon was sneering at me, a human girl was smirking at me amusedly, the female wolf demon who'd laughed at me earlier just scoffed and turned away, the guy that had the Dsi ( who was also a wolf demon) was fast asleep and the grey blur (that had turned out to be a grey wolf) was looking at me pointedly with his black piercing eyes.

Well, he was until Firetruck (the same red haired female wolf demon from before, as dubbed by moi), who was sitting right behind him, tapped him on the shoulder saying, "Hey Gramps, why you looking at Prostitute, over there?"

I scoff, "Oh please Firetruck. Like you could do any better."

"Excuse me Slut?"

I gasp, "It's Slushie, to you Carrot-head!"

"Great English, you spazz!"

"It's Engrish actually." I smirk and turn to my bag-abruptly cutting off our conversation- to get my smarties, but stop and sigh when I realise that opening my bag would mean getting everything in their wet and muddy.

Speaking of wet and muddy- I shiver. I was freezing! I sneeze, hoping it was just someone talking about me and not me getting a cold.

"But Kouga~! She was being mean to me~! What!? You agree with him Gramps!" I turn to Firetruck, wondering what she was complaining about now.

She was turning her head back and forth to "Gramps" and the boy –or man- that had, had a Dsi (to make it simple, Dsi Boy), who was sitting behind her. I hug myself to conserve warmth.

"No Ayame. You're really pathetic. You don't even _know_ her. I thought your training was supposed to _help_ you. Not make you discriminate people. The only reason we're on this bus is because you finished your training and you wanted to see the mutt and our friends for a reward." Said Dsi Boy.

Dsi Boy was siting low in his seat, his arms crossed and a scowl set on his face. His eyes were half open and sleep filed.

The wolf frowned disappointedly. "I raised you better."

Carrot-head frowned embarrassed and ducked her head low.

The cat demon next to the wolf snickered, obviously enjoying the wolf demons session of degrading.

I shivered once more before tucking my chin down to my chest and hugging my knees and I lean on the window, attempting to return to my previous slumber, although this one would be much colder.

A few minutes later, I'm about to drift in to dream world where I'm not shaking up a storm. But I open my eyes slightly when I feel a warm light pressure covering my shoulders.

Instead of a handsome boy who had thought I'd suffered enough though, I see Carrot-head looking a mix between shy, sheepish and embarrassed. She was only slightly blushing. "You looked cold… I didn't want you to slow us down at the ranch." she mumbled.

I smile softly at her, too tired to fight.

"I-I d-don't care or anything! Jeez!" Firetruck stormed back to her seat and sat down with a pout, pretending it didn't mean anything. Maybe she's not so bad.

"What the hell are you looking at Slut!?" she yelled, nearly knocking me out of my haze.

Never mind.

Instead of reacting, I push the material of my shoulders to see it's a blanket. I then push my ugly yellow bag on to the floor with my suitcase and lay down on the seat, the blanket spread on my chest to my ankles, the rest of myself left for coldness to consume.

_'Otou! Run!' a four year old child squeals. "Nii-chan's gonna catch ya!"_

_A boy around the girl's age was running after a full grown man, who was running behind the dirt-stained girl. In the distance a woman with a pixie framed complex was sitting on a red picnic blanket, a loving smile on her face, while cutting up cucumber sandwiches in triangles. _

_They were all in a sunflower field, it was a beautiful, sunny day. Not a cloud was in sight._

_"Oh no! Otou's it! Run Nii-chan! Run!" screamed the grinning girl._

_"Roar!" the man in farmer work overalls opened his arms wide and caught both of the little munchkins in his arms._

_He fell to the ground, both children still in his arms, as the raven haired boy and girl started tickling their father. The family was all laughing with mirth now._

_"Oh dear! You're getting their best clothes dirty, my love!" the woman laughed._

_The man stopped wriggling and stayed still, looking over to his wife. "Care to join us, dearest?" he grinned._

_"Such cheek! Come now children, it's time for lunch."_

_"Aw, but we wanna keep playing!" the little boy, in shorts and a red button-up complained, also grinning merrily._

_"Now, now, do what Okaa-san says kids." Their father chided._

_"Ok!" they said in unison. Twin smiles set on their faces. They held on to each other's hands, almost inseparable._

_Almost._

Kagome woke up, sweat framing her face. Her hair was tangled and knot-filled, not teased Texas anymore, as the rain and mud had un-done her hair style. She was a mess. Her make-up was also washed away, making her face look extremely colourful.

_What was that dream all about?_

Kagome looked around her, to find practically all the bus's occupants fast asleep, as she had been moments before.

Kagome had kicked the blanket off of her during her sleep, so she decided to just use the blanket as a towel instead of a blanket.

She rubbed off as much as the dried mud off her as she could. Luckily, Kagome was mostly dry. Not so luckily though, the entire seat that Kagome had been sleeping on was wet with water, as the ugly orange, red material had soaked up most of the water.

_I need a shower._

I shiver once more, a cold surely coming along. I sneeze, once, twice and a third. I was still standing up, as I had decided, not to sit down again.

My towel/blanket was officially useless, so I wouldn't be using that anytime soon. As I was looking around to see if there was some sort of blanket no one would mind me stealing, I have to jerkily grab on to the centipede demons hair, as the bus runs over a pot hole. I wince as I realise that using someone's hair-a demons at that- as a foothold is _not_ good for impressions.

She (I think it's a she) turns around angrily. "Sorry." I squeak. She mouths something and I have to ask her to repeat herself. "I will get you." She hisses.

I shouldn't have asked.

I think of waking Firetruck up, as the only other person (besides the centipede demon) spending the holidays at the ranch, that has talked directly to me.

I can feel the bus stop however, and I hope that it's not another flat tyre.

"Alright kiddies! Wake up!" the bus driver rubs his hands together.

"What is it _now_ Kaijimbo." I hear Firetruck say, as she rubbed her eyes. So that's the bus drivers name. Kaijimbo. Sounds evil.

I hear kids groan and start stretching their aching limbs.

"Great news, we've reached our stop point." Said Kaijimbo.

I hear a kid at the front ask if 'We're really at the ranch already." I hear Dsi Boy snort with amusement.

I feel someone poke me in the ribs, so I trun around to see Carrot-head. "Oi!" she hisses quietly, "Sit down!"

Just as I'm about to answer however, Kaijimbo answers the kid's question. "No. We're at a rest hut built specifically for the Inu-Tachi Ranch when we're half way through the trip there. Come on, all of ya can get off now. Bring your luggage."

So we all get off the bus single file and under the enormous shade built to protect us from the rain, which had slowly progressed in to hail.

"Ok. It's time for roll call. Listen carefully for your name and roommate. Go inside, to the counter with your roommate and ask the lady behind the desk for an information booklet and your room key."

Once I heard my name I went up to the podium where Kaijimbo was and when someone tapped me on the shoulder and asked if I was Kagome Higurashi, it turns out I'd just met my roommate.

Her name was Kikyo Oykik. She was the same girl that had been smirking at me amusedly.

We stepped inside the hotel like place. I was amazed. There was red velvet carpet, gold lined desks and tables and the chairs were a light cream.

Defiantly the lobby.

When I turned back to Oykik-san, she was already talking casually to the lady behind the desk.

Oykik-san walked carelessly back to me, a key and two little booklets in hand. Strangely, she didn't have any luggage.

I walked with her in a random direction. "Oykik-san..?" I hesitate.

"Yes Higurashi?" she replies.

"If you don't mind me asking… Where's your luggage?"

"Already at the ranch of course. My boys know I can't carry such heavy things by myself, so they asked Daddy if they could do it themselves. But it's quite degrading going in a bus of such poor quality. Don't you agree Higurashi?"

"Um, I guess." I say, slightly bewildered at Oykik-sans snootiness.

We reach a door that says Room X13. As we walk in, I realize I left my stuff on the bus. Dammit! "Um, Oykik-san, what are you going to wear if you don't have any clothes with you?"

She snorts with laughter. "Oh silly! My Inu-koi left a few sets of clothing for me! Now, I'm going to set some ground rules with you Higurashi." Oykik-san says.

Ground rules? This should be interesting.

"I get the shower first and for as long as I like, I get the bed all to myself, I get the spare clothes all to myself,-"Wait! Stop right there, Oykik-_san_. You're saying I get no clothes and have to sleep on the ground!? That's ridiculous!" I interrupt.

"No it isn't you paranoid idiot! It's _obvious_ I get everything and not you! I'm Kikyo Oykik! As in Shikigami and Koryu Oykik' daughter! The famous Education duo! As in younger sister to the Thunder Brothers! The famous hair Re-grOwtH inventors! As in elder sister to Soten Oykik! The famous eight year old artist!"

"Never heard of 'em."

"WHAT?!"

She was seething. Kikyo had gone red in the face. I could see Firetruck peeking at us through the door, that was open just a crack. The only thing I said to Kikyo though?

"Don't blow a fuse darling."


	3. Comebacks

So that night, I slept on the floor like the-quote-'filthy mutt I am' unquote-. I also got a rude awakening the next morning when Kikyo dumped a bucket of ice cold water on me. Well, I _hope_ it was water… She snarled for me to take a shower before she 'abandoned' me in this dump. Her words not mine.

"Thanks for your generosity your grace." I had snarled back, feeling crabbier than tuna.

So, I had taken the chance to shower albeit the water was freezing. Luckily enough for me M'lady, had left her very _pristine _hairbrush on the bathroom sink, giving me an escape goat to brush my hair.

I slipped a chewy mint in my mouth, as there had been a vending machine outside the lobby last night that I had chosen to get the refreshments from.

Eventually, when my hair was not sticking up, my breath was decent and body cleaned, I decided to actually go out there.

Kikyo laughs at me with a red designer jacket fitted perfectly on her shoulders when I attempt to pull my 'top' down to cover more stomach.

A particularly large opal gleams on Kikyo's left hand from the light streaming through the white weaved curtains. I imagine she got it from her precious _daddy_. "Jealous?" she questions, her smirk as ugly as her over-sized opal.

"Kiks babe, _puh-lease_ tell me who the jeweller that made that for you is?" For a split instant she seems to be swimming in her own ego. "So then I know who to send my barf bag to as a congratulations on a job well done! On making you look worse that is!"

She stands a gape in front of me before she says "Excuse me but _I_ made it!"

I grin like a chesire cat. "You're excused."

Kikyo's blood red skirt swirls as she hurries to breakfast. I walk confidently in a random direction, having no idea where to go, as Her Grace had disappeared from the hallway.

Finally, after many spins and twists, I see a girl. She had chocolate brown hair in a ponytail, her tight black leggings making her seem fit but professional.

"Excuse me Miss?" I hesitate to ask. "But do you know where the dining hall is?"

The lady turns to me, her eyes chestnut and suddenly filled with disdain. "Yes, of course. Follow me."

She walks briskly and in a no-nonsense kind of way. As we walk it is uncomfortably silent.

Being as chatty as I was, I opened my big mouth. "So… What's your name? I didn't see you on the bus."

"Look, I don't like you, and you don't like me. Got that? So, let's _try _ not to be too hostile to each other. I want to enjoy this holiday as much as your, probably, going to hate it. After all a priss like you will have trouble attempting to catch a pig, or avoiding spider webs. So try not to seduce the boys, or I will personally make your time here a living hell."

"Geez, aren't you just a ray of sunshine." I mutter, loud enough for Lieutenant Bush to hear.

She only scoffs in return, her combat boots echoing in the hall. "You could at least answer my question…" I add, sighing.

"If you read the nametag, like any normal person, than you would know. But I guess you're slightly _more_ of a spaz than I first thought."

"Aren't you full of yourself. And how can I look if you won't even look me in the eye, let alone let me see your nametag?" It was true. Besides that first disdain filled look, the seemingly cold woman hadn't even spared me a glance.

I swear to see a startling red blush bloom to the tips of her ears. "W-Well…" she stammers and then stops, turning to finally face me.

Sure enough, I see a flash of metallic on her right side. Her top has pink and white on it in a strange swirling pattern, although the outfit looked oddly complete with the nametag.

Instead of letting me read the aforementioned object, like earlier, um, _suggested_, Lieutenant Bush instead puts her hand sharply between us in a motion to shake hands.

She takes a shaky breath and puts on a twitchy smile before saying "My names Sango and I am of the Inu-Tachi Ranch Staff. I hope you enjoy your stay and find the accommodations and etcetera worthy of your time and money." The speech seemed somewhat practiced.

I sigh and shake her hand. "Ok. Let's go eat." I suggest, starting to walk towards the rambunctious noise at the end of the hall identical looking to the one I'd met 'Sango' in.

I hear her following behind me and then we're in a large dining area, buttered buns flying through the air. The smell of gravy protrudes the atmosphere.

Abandoning Sango, I go to the slowly thinning line, an ugly cream coloured tray in hand. Eventually, I'm walking to an empty space on the matching linoleum table and bench like chairs, a meal of hot food in my hands.

I'm cramped between two really weird looking guys (like I'm one to talk). One is really tall and the other really small. They both have long purple/white hair and long faces. Their eyes are kind of squinted and it was hard to tell what their eye colour was.

Although, I soon found out, they were both _extremely_ annoying. The small one, Kageromaru, kept trying to steal my tatter tots, while the big one, Kageromaru's brother, Juromaru, kept pouring jug, after jug of gravy on to my chicken, completely smothering it.

And whenever Kageromaru actually _did_ manage to steal something from my plate he'd pop it in his mouth and poke my shoulder repeatedly and say "Whatcha gonna do about it, huh? Whatcha gonna do?"

I of course had to resist socking him in the jaw because I knew his brother could be able to do a much better job on me what with all his 'nutrition's'. Let me explain.

While Kageromaru would poke my shoulder and all that, his brother would smother my chicken with gravy as I earlier mentioned but he would also mumble quite a lot about how I needed to eat it all up for my 'nutrition's'. I'd like to see you eating a few million packets worth of gravy too buddy. Yeah, I didn't think so.

Not only that but they also both kept petting my hair and 'cuddling' me. I could see Sango (who had been sitting with Firetruck) glaring at me, probably thinking I was 'seducing' them. Ugh, she wishes. My eye was twitching and my hair was once again in a mess thanks to these stupid brothers.

As Kageromaru had already stolen (and eaten) all of my tatter tots, I stole my fill of his tatter tots. Although, that commenced a war of us slapping each other's hands, one side defending the other attacking. And Juromaru didn't even notice when I ate a fair amount of his chicken either, too determined to drown my own poultry.

Finally, the breakfast was put to an end, when Kaijimbo did a head count and lined us up in front of the bus. Everyone had their luggage in hand or already on the bus and that's when I noticed that there was a second bus. Who knows how mean that bus driver is.

Either way, lucky for me, the annoying brothers were in front of me in the line. They sat behind Kaijimbo. As I walked past them, they attempted to grab my hands and drag me to the seat behind them but I walked briskly past them.

As I quickly grabbed my luggage from my previous seat (It was too close to those twits), still as wet as last nights storm, I laugh nervously and shuffle even faster to the back of the bus.

I chose a seat one spot in front of the back, on the same side as before. Before I'm quick enough to reserve my spot however, that same forever caramel skinned cat demon that had sat next to the wolf sat next to me, folding her long maroon skirt underneath her neatly. She put her hands on her lap and I noticed a beautiful, small azure jewel fitted prettily on an intricately designed gold band on her wedding finger.

"That's a beautiful ring Miss." I mumble.

"Hm? Speak up louder child. It's impolite to mumble."

I twitch slightly, knowing she heard me perfectly fine with her demonic hearing.

"I'm afraid you did hear me Miss." I say, loud and clear.

She smirks, "Very observant. Ah, yes, it's my wedding ring, as I'm sure you've guessed." Her bright grey eyes saddened at this it seemed.

I suddenly look over the demons shoulder as she stared fondly at her ring and I see Firetruck gazing guiltily at her on the opposite side, the wolf sitting next to her on the window side.

The married woman straightens her three quarter length powder blue top and looks pointedly at Carrot-head. "Where's Koga?" she asks.

"He's sitting opposite a really tall and really short guy with purple/white hair." Firetruck replies, sounding somehow disappointed.

I cover my mouth to stop myself from laughing out loud but a 'pfffftt' noise escapes my traitorous lips. _Sucked in._

I would have attempted to see if the twit twins were patting this 'Koga's' hair and cuddling with him but the cat demon was glaring at me disapprovingly.

"What?" I question.

"First you are dressed in decent and now you have the audacity to laugh mercilessly for no particular reason? You are quite a public nuisance!"

And yet another hater hates…

I just grin cheekily and poke my head over the seat and look at the seat closest to the door. Sure enough, I'm quite certain I see Dsi Boy (the mystery is solved, we now know his true name, Koga), pressing up against a cute blond with a bob cut, his expression reading beyond creeped out. Juromaru is attempting to claw out to him while his younger twin is already clutching Koga's arm in a death grip. The blond looks thoroughly confused but seemed slightly pleased that such a hot boy was in such a close radius to her.

A half hour later, it's mid-morning and both buses have come to a stop outside a gas station. It is officially bathroom break. Meaning it is officially time for me to change in to clothes that will not be met with glares and instant hatred.

So I went and took my backpack down to a bathroom stall and hurriedly changed in to a forest green tank top and some bike shorts. I had never been so happy to have my brown school loafers, as my only other shoes had been lost to that pile of dog women in the flower area.

A large amount of people were waiting in line so when I got back on the bus I wasn't surprised to find that there was a minimum of 15 people on the bus. Not much considering the bus was huge.

The cat demon wasn't there when I sat down and neither was the wolf. Carrot-head, however was. We both sat on the aisle seats and stared at each other.

"See your more decent." She smirked.

I ignore this and ask who the cat demon was.

"Her? Oh, she's my governess."

"What's up with her and the ring? She seemed so sad." I point out.

"Oh, yeah. For the last six years, I've been up in the mountains training. Casa, being my governess, obviously had to go with me. She was a newly-wed when my grandfather first hired her, so she wasn't used to being away from her mate. We never left the mountains during that time either, so it was hard. She's just lucky she's not in the canine category."

What she means is that when certain demons mate different things happen and the different types are put in to categories. The canine category consists of wolf, dog and fox demons. When the demons in that category mate they only mate once and they can't be separated over long distances for long periods of time. While feline demons (cat, panther, tiger demons ect) only feel depression and severe attitude changes.

"So…She acts young and childish around her mate?"

"Basically she acts her age. She's only 327 you know. My grandfather was surprised when such a young governess had been available and he thought that because she was so young that Casa would get along better with me. Unfortunately he hadn't known she had just mated."

"Only 327?! Wow." I exclaim. To all you people out there, for a demon 327 is equivalent to 27 in human years.

"She's from Australia too. That's way she has such a good tan. My grandfather is sending her home to the outback for a holiday. But it's a surprise so don't tell her. Also, when she just gets off the phone with her mate, she acts like her real self."

"Why are you telling me so much? I thought you were on Lieutenant Bushes side." I question quite surprised that she had even been talking to me.

"Who the hells Lieutenant Bush?!"

"That Sango chick you sat with at breakfast. And she has such a nickname because it's what she is. Hey, why are you even talking to me? I thought you hated me!"

"Aw, is a little wittle prostitute upset I didn't eat breakie wiv her?" Firetruck says in a baby voice. "And Sango is not a bitch."

"Aw, is a little red head upset she didn't get cuggles from Juromaru and Kageromaru?" I say, equally childish. "And yes she is. You've obviously never seen her embrace her inner dark side."

"Whoever they are, I only want 'cuggles' from Koga-kun. And you obviously have never seen her embrace her inner light." We were both standing up now, having a face off. People were starting to come in to the bus in clusters, slowly filling the bus.

"Well he's obviously too preoccupied with the hot blond he's sitting next to, you Try-Hard! And _you've_ obviously never seen her inner bitcheness!" I come back.

She's a bit speechless at the first insult and ignores it, "You've probably never seen her inner niceness!"

As soon as she ignored that we both knew I had an advantage. "Who are you, Kami-sama!?" I say. We but heads and growl at each other. But when we hear a more yowling growl we turn and see Casa. She grabs my bags and puts them on Firetrucks previous seat. "Ayame, you'll be sitting on the window side next to the girl. Your grandfather will be sitting in her previous spot."

So Ayame shuffles over, grumbling under her breath. And now were seat mates. "And for the record, I respect you for your good comebacks and I saw what you did to Kikyo." She smirks at this and I assume she doesn't like Kikyo but then suddenly her voice is a whisper, "I was outside your door because I needed to warn-" Ayame cuts her sentence off and suddenly goes pale as the centipede demon enters the bus.

I don't prompt her for any more information and in the next five minutes every one is on the bus. It's quiet the rest of the way there between the two of us but in the next twenty minutes we stop again.

We are finally at Inu-Tachi Ranch. Finally.


End file.
